Device adapting an existing domestic bathtub for steam or dry hot-air bath

ABSTRACT

A device adapting an existing domestic bathtub for steam or dry hot-air bath comprising a base framework, an end plate hinged to said framework, a detachable cover member positioned over said framework and end plate having openings adjacent the opposite ends one of which openings is for receiving a user&#39;&#39;s head and the other of which openings is for detachably mounting a heater and cut means extending between said openings for opening or closing by a slide fastener.

United States Patent Sugiyama [45] Sept. 24, 1974 15 1 DEVICE ADAPTING AN EXISTING 2,095,749 10 1937 Kallner 4/162 OME BATHTUB FOR STEAM 0 3,119,152 1/1964 WeisblackW 4/162 3,375,5 4 4/1968 Viecai 4/162 DRY HOT-AIR BATH 3,611,448 10/1971 Dudley 4/162 [76] lnventor: Kenichi Sugiyama, 1236-7-506 Edamachi, Yokohama, Japan Primary ExaminerHenry K. Artis Jan. 2, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle [21] Appl. N0.Z 323,258 57 ABSTRACT A device adapting an existing domestic bathtub for [30] Foreign Application Priority Data steam or dry hot-air bath comprising a base frame- Jan. 14, 1972 Japan 47-6321 work, an end plate hinged to Said framework, a etachable cover member positioned over said frame- [52] US. Cl. 4/162, 4/160 rk an nd pla having openings adjacent the 0p- [51] Int. Cl A61h 33/12 p site ends one of which openings is for receiving a [58] Field of Search 4/162, 160, 164, 163 users ead and the other of which openings is for detachably mounting a heater and cut means extending [56] References Cited between said openings for opening or closing by a UNITED STATES PATENTS Shde fastener- 1,948,204 2/1934 Dillard 4/162 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures DEVICE ADAPTING AN EXISTING DOMESTIC BATI-ITUB FOR STEAM OR DRY HOT-AIR BATH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device which adapts an existing domestic bathtub for manifold purposes and more particularly, to a device which simply and readily converts an existing domestic bathtub into a steam or dry hot-air bathtub.

As far as the applicant knows, the conventional domestic bathtubs have been exclusively employed for hot-water bathing and if a-person desires to have a steam or hot dry air bath at home, usually, he has been obliged to have a paricular bathtub specifically designed for such a purpose. If any existing domestic bathtub is converted to a steam or dry hot-air bath, such conversion requires a lot of labor and many accessary parts resulting in increasement in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a device which adapts an existing domestic bathtub for steam or dry hot-air bath by simply modifying the existing domestic bathtub at less expense.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which adapts an existing domestic bathtub for steam or dry hot-air bath and which is easily and readily attached to and detached from the existing domestic bathtub.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device which adapts an existing domestic bathtub for steam or dry hot-air bath by the utilization of a conventional electric heater.

The above and other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show one preferred embodiment of the invention for illustration purpose only, but not for limitingthe scope of the same in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of an existing domestic bathtub on which a device according to the present invention is mounted showing the bathtub is in its closed or non-use state;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of said bathtub of FIG. 1 showing it operation state with the dot-chain line and the non-use state with the full line;

FIG. 3 is a vertically sectional view of said device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of said device with the cover member thereof removed therefrom to show the interior of the device;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but shows the device in its folded state; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective exploded view on an enlarged scale of a heater to be employed in conjunction with the device of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be now described referring to the accompanying drawings and more particularly, to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof in which an existing domestic bathtub 10 is shown as having'the device 12 of the invention detachably mounted thereon. The dev-ice 1 2 generally comprises a U-shaped base framework 14 having a U-shaped downwardly extending flange (not shown) which is positioned inwardly of and spaced from the peripheral edges of the framework and adapted to be fitted in the open top of the bathtub. The base framework 14 has an end plate 14a hinged to the inner end of the framework 14 and the end plate also has a U-shaped downwardly extending flange 14b which is positioned inwardly of and spaced from the peripheral edges of the end plate to be fitted in the open top of the bathtub. Props 16 are provided on the upper surface of the base framework 14 in spaced positions and the props extend uprightly at right engles to the plane of the base framework 14. The base framework 14 and end plate are normally covered by a cover member 15 which inclines downwardly from the outer end of the base framework 14 toward the inner end of the framework. The end plate 14a has a rectangular opening 17 in the center thereof and the cover member 15 is also provided with a similar rectangular opening 18 in alignment with the opening 17 for the purpose to be described hereinbelow. An air heating or steam generating assembly 19 is detachably mounted on the end plate 14a with the lower portion of the assembly detachably received in the openings in the end plate and cover member for heating air or generating steam and recycling the same within the space defined by the bathtub and cover member.

The base framework 14, end plate 14a and props 16 may be formed of a metal such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel or synthetic resin of thermostability or thermoresisting property. The props 16 may be integrally formed with the base framework 14 or separate parts. The cover member 15 may be formed of a rather thick synthetic resin sheet and as shown in FIG. 1, the cover member has a cut longitudinally extending between the opposite ends of the cover member to provide an access opening through which the body of a person who is subjected to hot-air or steam treatment may go into or out of the bathtub 10. The cover member 15 also has a circular opening 20 adjacent the outer end through which the head of the person whose body is received within the bathtub 10 may be exposed to the outer air. When not used, the opening 20 is normally closed by a lid 21 a part of which is suitably secured to the cover member 15 for manual opening or closing. The cover member 15 is provided in its outer periphery with a plurality of spaced lock means 22 which sealingly engage the periphery of the base framework 14 and end plate 14a to seal the bathtub when the cover member is placed in position. The cut in the cover member 15 is provided with a slide fastener 23 to slidably move along the cut for closing or opening the cut. Although only one cut is provided in the cover member 15 in the illustrated embodiment, two cuts may be provided in the cover member without departing from the spirit of the invention so that the body of the user may be more easily received into and taken out of the bathtub 10.

The air heating or steam generating assembly 19 is itself of a conventional construction and does not constitute any part of the present invention. However, since the present invention utilizes the function of the assembly, the construction and operation of the assembly will be briefly described herein.

Referring to FIG. 6, the air heating or steam generating assembly 19 is illustrated in the form of an electric heater. The heater 19 is operated with electric power supplied from a suitable power source (not shown) through a conductor 24 and comprises a housing 25, an electric motor 26 housed in the housing and mounted on a support plate 27, a fan 28 operatively connected to the motor 26 to be driven thereby and a heating element 29. Provided on the top of the housing 25 are an actuating switch button 30 and a pilot lamp 3]. With the construction and arrangement of the air heating or steam generating assembly 19, when the conductor 24 is suitably connected to the power source and the switch button 30 is then depressed down, the pilot lamp 31 which is electrically connected to a suitable thermosetting element (not shown) for adjusting the temperature of air is lit up thereby to rotate the fan 28 through the motor 26 and heat the heating element 29. The air in the space defined by the bathtub and cover member is circulated by the fan 28 passing through the now heated element 29 to incrementally increase the temperature of the air in the space. In about to 30 minutes after the initiation of the operation on the heater, the air temperature will be increased to a desired level suitable for the desired treatment whereupon the pilot lamp 31 momentarily lights out to indicate that the air temperature has reached to the desired level.

The foregoing description'is necessarily detailed in character so that the invention may be completely set forth, but it will be understood that modifications may be made in its construction and details without departing the principles and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A device adapting a domestic bathtub for steam or dry air bath comprising a U-shaped base support framework, an end plate hinged on one side to the open end of said framework, a plurality of props formed with said framework projecting uprightly therefrom, a cover member detachably positioned over said framework and end plate to define a treating space between the cover member and bathtub, said cover member having a first opening adjacent one end through which. the head of a user may project to be exposed to the outer air, a second opening adjacent the other end, a longitudinally extending slit opening between said first and second openings, a slide fastener arranged to open and close said slit opening, and a heater detachably mounted in said second opening of the cover member.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said base framework and end plates have downwardly extending flanges to be fitted in the open top of said bathtub.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said base framework defines an opening between the opposite legs of its U-shape construction to provide an access opening through which the body of the user may get into and out of said bathtub.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said end plate is provided with adjacent one end with an opening in alignment with said second opening in the cover member for detachably receiving said heater.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said cover member further has a plurality of lock means for sealingly engaging the peripheral edges of said framework and end plate to hold the framework and end plate in position.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said cover member is forms of a thick flexible synthetic resin sheet. 

1. A device adapting a domestic bathtub for steam or dry air bath comprising a U-shaped base support framework, an end plate hinged on one side to the open end of said framework, a plurality of props formed with said framework projecting uprightly therefrom, a cover member detachably positioned over said framework and end plate to define a treating space between the cover member and bathtub, said cover member having a first opening adjacent one end through which the head of a user may project to be exposed to the outer air, a second opening adjacent the other end, a longitudinally extending slit opening between said first and second openings, a slide fastener arranged to open and close said slit opening, and a heater detachably mounted in said second opening of the cover member.
 2. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said base framework and end plates have downwardly extending flanges to be fitted in the open top of said bathtub.
 3. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said base framework defines an opening between the opposite legs of its U-shape construction to provide an access opening through which the body of the user may get into and out of said bathtub.
 4. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said end plate is provided with adjacent one end with an opening in alignment with said second opening in the cover member for detachably receiving said heater.
 5. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said cover member further has a plurality of lock means for sealingly engaging the peripheral edges of said framework and end plate to hold the framework and end plate in position.
 6. The device as set forth in claim 1, in which said cover member is forms of a thick flexible synthetic resin sheet. 